1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to communication systems, and more specifically to allocation of hardware in a multi-channel communication environment.
2. Related Art
A point-to-multipoint communication system includes a network that supports bidirectional data communication between a central entity and multiple remote entities. Example point-to-multipoint communication systems include but are not limited to cable modem systems, fixed wireless systems, and satellite communication systems. A central entity may be any of a variety of communication devices, including but not limited to a cable modem termination system (CMTS), a satellite, or a cellular base station. A remote entity may be any of a variety of communication devices, including but not limited to a cable modem, a settop box, a cable gateway, a portable computing device, or a cellular telephone.
The central entity and the multiple remote entities each include a receiver and a transmitter. The transmit and receive functions of an entity are often combined using a transceiver. The communication path from a transmitter of the central entity to a receiver of a remote entity is typically referred to as the downstream, while the communication path from a transmitter of the remote entity to a receiver of the central entity is typically referred to as the upstream.
In modem point-to-multipoint communication systems, advances in communication technology (e.g., video on demand (VOD), high-definition television (HDTV), digital services, expanding analog channel lineups, etc.) are requiring increasingly more bandwidth, which may lead to deficiencies in channel capacity, especially with respect to downstream transmissions. Channel bonding is one technique that may be employed to help alleviate downstream bandwidth issues. Channel bonding enables packets of data to be transmitted via any one or more of the channels that are bonded.
However, conventional channel bonding techniques often require substantially more hardware than a conventional single-channel technique.
For instance, an N-channel receiver may require approximately N times the hardware that a single-channel receiver requires. Moreover, conventional channel bonding techniques often lack efficient hardware utilization. For example, a receiver component that is capable of operating at a certain frequency may be operated at a fraction of that frequency based on a limited need.
Accordingly, systems and methods are needed that address one or more of the aforementioned shortcomings of conventional channel bonding techniques.
In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the leftmost digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears.